DETROIT – Detroit’s public transit system is poised for significant upgrades this spring with the opening of a new state-of-the-art DDOT Coolidge Terminal and a $50 million federal grant to replace aging buses.
The new terminal will feature facilities for bus maintenance, fueling, dispatch operations, and overnight storage.
“This facility is really going to help us with retaining and attracting and employing morale and giving them the tools and the operating conditions to really do the great work that they take pride in every day,” said Robert Cramer, Detroit transit director.
The terminal’s design prioritizes employee well-being, with amenities including lockers, a kitchenette, a lounge area, an outdoor patio, and a fitness center.
These additions aim to improve working conditions for transit employees who often face demanding schedules.
“Those are things that are really important because when you think about, especially mechanics and drivers, it is a very taxing job,” Cramer explained.
The improvements extend beyond facility upgrades.
DDOT has implemented pay raises to match compensation at other transit agencies, a move that’s already showing positive results. The department reports a significant decrease in driver vacancies, with former drivers returning to the system.
“It is very important that these drivers get paid,” said Travon Rhodes, a DDOT rider expressing support for the compensation increases.
Further bolstering the system’s renewal, the city has secured a $50 million federal grant to replace 53 buses in its aging fleet.
This investment in new vehicles, combined with improved staffing levels, is expected to enhance service frequency and reliability.
“Really looking forward to this coming year now that we will be able to start increasing service more because we will have the vehicles and drivers to do it,” Cramer said.
DDOT rider Chuck Deramus welcomes the improvements.
“That’s a good thing, especially if you are a frequent bus rider,” he said.